Mark 42

I didn't realize a travel bug could have a goal! Do they all have a goal, or is it just some of them? (I'd imagine it's up to the originator... I'll go re-read the travel bug instructions). BTW, I got thinking about the quality of the items one puts in a cache, and I think the problem is explainable (in part) by a concept I learned yesterday in one of those company psychobable morale/attitude improvement meetings. The problem is that some people may be following the "golden rule"... do unto others as you would like them to do unto you. That sounds like a good plan, but some people may be okay with any old junk being exchanged in a cache... they are mainly interested in the hunt, and figure if someone takes something nice that they left and puts something junky in its place, that's just fine. Maybe they do a little of both ways. Maybe they think the item I perceive as junk was actually a pretty good item. Now, you ask, what whas the new concept I was taught...? "Do unto others as they would like you to do unto them". Different personality types perceive things differently. I try to be careful that my kids put nice things in the caches and don't only take nice things out. I was a bit concerned about this on one cache we did... but I think we did okay. I'll have to try to get to the dollar store or the thrift store to find some nice toys (used does not mean junk, to me). Anyway, for once the psychobable session made me think! I hope that someday we will be able to put away our fears and prejudices and just laugh at people.

I have a couple of etiquette questions that don't relate to cache contents quality, but didn't think I should start a new mwssage thread... On a multi cache, if I can figure out where the final destination is w/o visiting any of the clue caches that are supposed to lead me to it, is it considered a vaild find, and should I log it as such? Would it be acceptable to go directly to the end of a multi cache and grab a travel bug, for instance? If I went to a cache, did a TNLNSL, but a couple of days later realized I would like to have grabbed a travel bug from it, would it be wrong to return to the cache, log a general note instead of another find, and grab the travel bug? (I doubt I'd do it this way since there are a lot of caches available in my area, but the thought occurred to me.) Is it acceptable to take a travel bug on a vacation trip and put it in a cache many miles from my normal caching area? (please answer for both establishing a new travel bug of my own in an area far from home, and taking one that I grabbed out of a local cache on a vacation trip). Thanks. Learning Daily.

Pretend you're taking pictures of flora & fauna. A canmera does help with this illusion. Or, carry a metal detector, wear plaid bermuda shorts & sandals with black socks, wander around a bit, then pretend to be digging something up. You could even use a dowel, coffee can lid, and your GPS to make an imitation metal detector. Learning Daily.

It takes a lot of surgical tubing to launch a bowling ball that far! I hope you used a digital camera for that cannabis picture... if the photo lab had seen it when developing the pictures you might have had some 'splainin to do.

quote:Instead of graphics ..., why not do a whole "This is a geocache..." It could look, I don't know, something like... um... http://www.geocaching.com/seek/. Oh, and instead of a graphic for a sticker (so you can print running, bleaching paper stickers), OH! One more thing! They could add an "Edit or Delete Message" button to the forums. ...instead of posting a bunch of consecutive messages. Yeah, *that* would be cool. The link to the description insert didn't seem to work... until I took a second look. Here is a more direct link. A .jpg would also be useful. It could even have the Geocahing logo included to add a sprig of color I am capable of making high quality, MULTI color stickers that will not fade, bleed, smear, or come unglued... in whatever custom size fits each container, at a fraction of the cost of buying and shipping them. I would be happy to do a writeup of instructions on how to do it for those who prefer the satisfaction of a good DIY project. If it's an issue of the logo being a licensed product, that is different, and I understand. This website and the Geocacing game as a whole represent a lot of work by the people who organize, maintain, and run it all. Seperating topics into multiple messages aids in the ease of quoting a message, and makes the posts more readable, in my opinion. It was not done by accident or ignorance, it was done by preference. I wasn't all that pleased to have my ideas picked apart... if you don't appreciate them, fine, you can ignore them. If you don't understand them, ask for clarification. [This message was edited by Mark 42 on August 08, 2003 at 09:48 AM.]

Let me clarify what I mean... Right now, you click "encrypt this message" and place all text that you DON'T want encrypted within the brackets. so the message ends up: [normal text] Rapelcgrq Grkg [more normal text] and the decrypt button is way down at the bottom, & easy to miss. (Look at my Aug 1st entry HERE to see what I mean). My preference would be when entering into the log, a button that says "Encrypt", but only text inside of the brackets [] would get encrypted. In addition, it'd be nice to see the "Decrypt" button immediately after the encrypted text when reading the log. Is any of that necessary? No. Is it an improvement? I think it would be. Is it a big deal? Naw, just a suggestion. Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

Twice the cost, but at least twice the value... http://www.flyingjestore.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=ShowItem&item_number=4&product_code=EL259&sku=100 Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

If you put a pen in a cache, make sure it's not water soluble ink. Most ordinary ballpoints are water proof ink, but some fancy ones (like Uni-ball pens) smear & bleed really bad when they get wet. It's best to test it on a scrap of paper. I cache and run, and I worry about dripping sweat onto a logbook and oscuring part of someone's entry. Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

How about online graphics of a semi-standard form to place inside each cache describing what it is, where the website is, and all that stuff for when people accidentally stumble upon a cache. A graphic of a sticker for the outside would be nice, so that I can print up my own stickers and glue them to the outside (not that I can't anyway, but it'd promote some uniformity, at least among those who would participate in such a scheme) Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

Another thing that'd be nice... invert the encryption separation in online log entries... What I mean is instead of putting non encrypted text in [ ], make a command set [CRYPT] and [/CRYPT] to encrypt text in log entries. Also, for encrypted text in a log entry, mopve the "Decrypt" button right after the encrypted text instead of way down at the very bottom of the log entry. Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

How about an icon that is a picture of a compass, with text describing it as "If you are only using a map & compass, or want additional hints, click here" Then the person hiding the cache, if he wanted to, could give a set of extra clues (site pictures, detail maps, distace from mile marker xx, etc.) so that people who want to, can find them w/o GPS, or if they had a DNF and wanted to go back with more info to see what it was that stumped them. You say "But people will cheat"... so we will have to institute a penalty, like return the cash prizes, trophy, and notoriet you gained by cheating and have your name highlighted in yellow in the logbook as a testament to your cowardice. You could even have a delayed implementation of the access to additional hints... maybe have the extra hints appear after a week or so from when the cache is first posted. Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

Pocket queries?... I love it when my wife does that. I don't see a reference to the "Subscribe" page, which gives a few reasons to subscribe, so, I'll add it... http://www.geocaching.com/subscribe/ Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

quote:Did either of you actually look at the distance between caches in the Tacoma area? Yes, it is an active geocaching area with a lot of caches, but I argue that it would be difficult for you to find caches breaking the distance guideline. I think these two are closer than .1 mile from each other. Long Lake Diamond Dog Free Zone Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

Garmin's online Geocaching Guide: http://www.garmin.com/manuals/224.pdf Magellan's Geocaching Guide: https://www.magellangps.com/en/gpsAdventures/geocaching/gearingup.asp Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

Here is the link for MGarmin's online User's Manuals: http://www.garmin.com/support/userManual.jsp?market=3&subcategory=37&product=All Here is the link for Magellan's online User's Manuals: http://www.magellangps.com/en/support/products/ Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

Last night was the first time I used our new Magellan SporTrak Pro GPSr. Man, what a huge amazing difference a few years of technology makes! I was able to get a fix in areas I never would have dreamed possible. Instead of only being able to receive signal in the best places in the forest I jog in, I was able to get reception in all but a couple of really bad spots! I'll have to find what manual page I can go to for enabling the alarm on my unit. Here's the Magellan Online User's Manuals Link: http://www.magellangps.com/en/support/products/ Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

You'd be amazed how lost you can get in dense forest on trails that loop around in endless switchbacks. Sometimes you can't even keep your movement in a general directional trend... For instance, if you keep going East you eventually run into Banner Rd, and from there you can head S towards the parking area (unless you parked on Olalla Valley to the North. Sounds easy, but not always. Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

The idea being (As I understand it) it's a DNF if you go out looking, get to the area, but look reasonably extensively in the area the cache is supposed to be, and don't find it. If you get home, double check, and realize you input the waypoint wrong... Or you are on your way along the pathe, and your batteries die & you forgot replacement batts... Or you get halfway out there, but have to return because your child got stung by a bee... Or you get into the area, but have pretty much run out of time, so only do a quick look around intending to return tomorrow when you don't have other obligations... Anything that is not a real effort that you would expect to lead to a find. Like sometimes I just look at the Topo map, and then swing by the area w/o a Compass or GPS on my evening jog, to see if maybe I'll recognize a couple of potentially good hiding places and check them out just on the off-chance that I might get lucky and find it w/o a lot of real effort & time. So, if I really tried to find it, and nothing unusual kept me from a decent quality search, and what the results were may be of some interest (such as, perhaps the fact that I can't find it is the first or one of a string of DNF's) to others, including the custodian of the cache... I'l put in a DNF on the cache's online log. If I wasn't seriously looking for it, but saw something of notable interest, then I can just post a note (Like: the parking area is shut down by the forest service until further notice... but parking acn be found on the street just aroung the corner from it) at the cache's online logbook. Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

HYou probably saw This Message Thread already, but I figured I'd refer to it JIC... Also, This One sheds some light on some of the things you asked (I think). Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

I was just thinkin about suggesting a box that's made of 1/4" thick plate & welded shut all around... But it did give me an idea to weld a treasure chest of some 3/8" plate steel I have laying around (no, I'll put a hinged lid on it!) Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

This is Banner Forest But it would be more appropriate in the NW forum. I was not aware of it, and apologize for the confusion. Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

Ahhh, I guess I missed that. Shoulda caught it on my own. Sorry, I'm still learning what forum areas are there. Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

I was wondering why you posted that in light of the fact that you still frequent the "Getting Started" section. Allow me to say "D'oh!" (Digging hook out of upper lip...) I didn't even realize I autoignore the icons next to the title. I do still notice them in the body of the message. Here's one you may find useful... And one from a person who considers himself a master of subtlety (when desired) Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

When the old members of CCR tried to sue John Foggerty, he brought his guitar into the courtroom and demonstarated that all of the songs soud the same, whether from one CCR song to another, or his songs, or a few other artists. Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee

quote:Originally posted by carleenp:Actually, I got really annoyed with my Magellan recently when it lost signal in the mountains and trees. It doesn't tell you that and just freezes the coords. Very annoying if you are not watching to see if it is still averaging! It caused me to look all around the wrong area for a 1/2 hour for a cache! I'm told that Garmin tells you when the signal is lost. I am about to upgrade and am now looking at Garmin! What model? Are the SporTrak models that way? It seems the "Poor Coverage" message would be useful information. I appreciate knowing that with my Garmin, though where I live I see that message more often than not, except when I go sailing! I do wish manufacturers would learn that good features, no matter how helpful, need to come with the ability to switch them off! Hukt un fonix werkt fur mee